Cotton-compress.



C. J. LUCE. COTTON GOMPEESS.

APPLlGATION FILED JUNE 22, 1908.

Patented June 1, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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C. J. LUCE.

COTTON GOMPRBSS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE zz, 190e.

Patented June 1,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIFI" CHARLES J. LUCE, OF NIANTIC, CONNECTICUT. A

COTTON-COMPRESS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1909.` i

Application led June 22, 1908. Serial No. 439,796.

To all whom 'it may concern:

I Se it known that I, CHARLES J. LUCE, a `citizen of the United States, and resident of Niantle, Connecticut, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Compresses, of which the following Y 1s a specification.

My invention relates to compressing plantation bales of cotton, and consists in means for first reducing the lantation bale to a uniform density throughout and then compressing the same, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective -view showing my improved compress; Fig. 2 a sectional plan; Fig. 3 a view of one of the locking bolts; Fig. 4 a pers ective view of a side door or side piece of t e box at the hinged end thereof; Fig.k 5 a detached plan.y

The compress is provided with a lower platen A, an upper platen B,-each having the usual transverse grooves,` and with means l' sists of threaded shafts C, C, thethreaded or.

whereby the two may be carried to and from each other; As shown the said means contions carrying the two cross-beams D, D,w 'ch support t e platens, and the two shaftsbeing provlded with worm-wheels which engage Worms 2 on a transverse shaft 3, to which r ppwer is applied in any suitable manner.

ith these parts is combined a compress box F, the latter havingside pieces G, G, and endpieces H, H, which side and end pieces are supported by two side frames I, I, each consisting of cross-pieces 5,' 5, and vertical bars 6, 6. Each end piece instead of consisting of a single plate, as usual, is composed of a lurality ofsections. As shown there are t ree sections 7, 8, 9, in each end piece7 the central section 7 being connectedto a plurality of equidi'stant cross-plates 1,0, whi e the side sections 8, 9, rest upon the lower crosslbars 5, being held in place by lips 12 below, and 13, above, so thatthey can lslide to and from each other freely.

'Each of the'cross-plates 10 has at the end a slot inclined or diagonal at the end and the inner end parallel to the end piece, and

' through these slots at the opposite ends of lthe saidcross-plates extend standards J, J, which project into and are guided by slots y,

travel without imparting movement to the cross-plates. Any suitable means may be em loyed for thus forcibly drawing toget er the standards. As shown there are cross-shafts 15, each having reversely threaded" ends and a central worm wheel 16, which engages with a similar Wheel 17 upon a vertical shaft 18 which extends through central slots w of the cross plates and also upward through the upperv beam D where it is combined with means for rotating the same, as, for instance, with a worm-wheel 19 engaging with a worm 2() on a shaft 21, to which movement is imparte/d in any suitable manner.

The threaded ends of the cross shafts 15 carry each a nut 22, so arranged that it may carry or engage the adjacent standard J,

and whenthe shaft is rotated in one direction the nuts are drawn toward each other,

thus drawing the standards inward.

Each of the side pieces Gof the compre-ss box is hinged at one end to one of the standards and the nuts 22 at this end are connected with the hinges, Fig. 4. At the other end .eaclfnut has a wing 30 through which the standard J passes, and against this standard the braces 25 of the side piece are brought as the box is closed. v To then hold the side piece-in engagement With the nut and stand.-

ard the wings are rovided with a sliding bolt N sliding vertica y in a staple 31 and provided with shaped pintles 32 which may be .brought above and' then passed down into coinciding openings in the braces and wings thus lockingl the -parts together. The bolt has a handle 33 by which it may be moved vertically and when lifted and swung to one side the parts are unlocked. When the parts are connected the side pieces G are carried inward with the standards and are. brought to bear against the movable sections 8, 9 ofthe end pieces and thereby carry them toward -each other, and each of the side pieces has slots 'v into which the ero s plates 10 pass as the end pieces of the box, are drawn toward each other.

The grooves a; of the end pieces are so formed and the arts are so constructed and arranged that afifer the side pieces are closed and the shafts '18 begin to rotate the firstaction will result in forcing the end pieces I-I, I-I, toward each other as the standards J, J, are drawn together, and after the' end pieces have moved for a predetermined distance the standards will come into the straight portions of the slots and the side pieces will then be further drawn toward each other. If desired the sides may be made with slots, so bands can be put on before the door is opened.

In the o eration of the press the ordinary plantation' ale is placed between the platens, the bands removed so that the cotton is loose, and the side pieces G, G, are closed so as to practically close the box. rIhe box is so proportioned that itis Wider than the Width of aplantati'on bale and therefore upon oper ating the shaft 21 the end pieces Wi l be first carried toward each other and press on the ends of the bale; then the side pieces Will be carried toward each other against the sides of the bale; and then the platens will be brought toward' each other and compress the bale vertically. It will be obvious that While I have shown one means of building the compress so as to secure these successive actions of the s end and side pieces of the box and of the platens, these parts may be differently constructed and arranged to secure this result.

The fundamental factor 4in connection with the operation of a compress of the character described consists in the ability to bring an end pressure upon the bale, compressing it in the direction of its length before any side pressure, then applying side pressure, and then Vapplying the top and bottom pressure byineans of theplatens.

In the ordinary operations of forming the plantation bale the cotton is generally thrown to a greater extent toward the center of the box than toward the ends, with the result that in all plantation bales the cotton is very much looser at the ends than at the center. In ordinary compresses this condition of the plantation bale is ignored and the result is that the said bale, which is pressed generally only from top to bottom, is very much denser at the center than at the ends, and `in order to secure a proper average density per cubic foot it is necessary to overpress the central portion. In the operation of my compress I have adapted the parts so as to operate upon the principle of securing, to as great a degree as possible, a uniform density of bale before compression, and I therefore first bring the end pieces of the box to bear upon the loose ends of the plantation bale, and this pressure is continued until the latter is reduced to the pro er extent longitudinally, and all parts of t ie bale are substantially of like density, and then the side pressure is brought t0 bear so that the pressure of the fibers at the sides against the fibers that have been thus condensed at the ends not only tends to increase the general density, butthe binding of the side .fibers against the end fibers tends to hold them in pIace and to prevent reaction resulting in ongitudinal expansion. After sufficient side compressing is thus ap lied I then bring the platens toward each ot er to the extent necessary to secure the proper final compression, the pressure in this direction bringing the top and bottom fibers against the fibers at the side, tending to hold and bind the bale against lateral expansion, and the vertical expansion is then prevented by applying and securing the bands in the usual manner. I have found that by this combination of operations it is practicable to secure a greater reduction in bulk and a better average compression by means of less direct pressure and actual compression at the center than is 1practicable in ordinary operations.

I do not here claim the method of operation above described as the same constitutes the subject-matter of a separate application.

`Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention:

l. The combination in a compress of opposing movable grooved platens and a compress box and means whereby the end and side pieces of the latter after closing the box may be brought toward each other to compress and reduce'the dimensions of a bale first in the direction of its length, then of its Width, and then of its height, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination in a compress of upper and lower platens narrower than a plantation bale, and a press box having movable side and end pieces, and means for carrying the platens, sides and ends toward each other to compress the bale after the box .is closed upon the bale.

3. The combination in a compress of upper and lower latens, and a press box having movable si e and end pieces, and means for carrying the platens, sides and ends toward eac-h other after closing the box, the end pieces moving in advance of the side pieces,

to condense the mass of cotton longitudinally.

4. 'l`he combination in a compress'of upper and lower platens, and a press box having movable side and end pieces, and means for carrying the platens, sides and ends toward each other after closing the box, the end pieces moving in advance of the side pieces and the latter in advance of the platens, to compress the bale.

5. The combination Witn the movable platens of a compress, of a box having movable side pieces and movable end pieces, and means for carrying the pla-tens and side and end pieces inward, the end pieces consisting of sections to permit of contraction in width.

6. The combination With the movable 15o Iwith end pieces provided wlth guides, pairs grooved )latens of a compress, of four vertical stan ards arranged 1n pairs opposite the' faces, and a box having hinged side ieces,`

and end ieces each in sections mova le inward, an means for carrying the side pieces and end pieces inward and for moving in v slde pieces and contractlble end pleces, a plu'- ward the sections of the end pieces.

. 8. The combination in a compress of upper and lower lmovable platens having grooved faces, and a box having hinged'side ieces,

and end ieces each in sections mova le inward, and means for carrying the sidepicces 'and end pieces inward, and for moving inward the sections of the endpieces, all constructed to move the end pieces inadvance of the sidepieces andthe latter in advance of the platens. f A

9. rThe .combination with the movable ends of the platens, supports for the standards permitting each..pair tobemoved toward each other, a box having side pieces each hinged to one-of the standards, and end V pieces in sections,means for connecting each outer section to move with one of the standf -fards, and means for carrying the platens, the

side pieces and standards toward each other. 10. The combination With lthe .movable .grooved platens of a compress, of standards arranged in pairs yopposite the ends ofthe platens, a b'ox'having side pieces each hinged standards, and means for moving the platens to one of the standards and with means for engaging the standard at the opl osi'te end of theplaten, supports'in which t e standards can slide to and from each other, and secand side and end pieces-toward each other,

and-each pair of standards also'toward each other.' i

' in said guides, abox having side pieces and 11. The combination with tl1e` movablel grooved platens of a compress, of a frame o f standards movable to and from each/'other section end dpiecg-is, eachk en d piece contractible in Wi th, anda-plurahty of arallel ards ofeafch pair toward each other. l212.1 The combination Wlth the movable with end pieces provided with guidesfpairs i of standards movable to and from eachother 'in' said guides, a box having side pieces and vs'ectlona end pieces, each end Ypiece conlWard each other.-

tractible in width, and a plurality of parallel cross-plates each having slots x in the ends through which the standards extend, andY means for moving the platens and the standards of each pair toward each other, the side lpiecesof the box each hinged to one of the standards and with means for engaging the i standard at the opposite end.

13. The combination' With the movable grooved platens of a compress, of a frame with end pieces provided with guides, pairs of standards movable to and from each other in said guides, a box having hinged pieces,

rality of arallelv cross-plates each having slots in t e ends through .which the standards extend, and meansy for moving the platens and the standards of'each pair toward eachother, the side pieces of the box each hinged to one ofthe standards and with means for engaging the standard at the opposite end, said side pieces slotted to receive lthe ends of the cross-plates. 14. Ina compress having movable platens -V and a box with-side and end pieces movable toward each other, each end piece Vhaving a central and two side sections, and a plurality of crossplates attached to eachl of the said central sections, and each with slots diagonal at the ends, and two pairs of standards extending through said slots, guides for'suporting each air of standards to move to and om each ot er, the side fpieces each hinged to a standard, and means o toward each other.

15,.y The combination with the end piece of i 'a compress b.ox,o a plurality of crosslates having slots .fr diagonal at .the ends an cen-l tral slots, through said slots x, means for guiding the standards to slide to `and froml each other,

lguiding the standards to slide`to and from each other, va driving shaft extending through the 'central slots, transverse threaded shafts rconnectin each to a standard at the op osite end, and s otted to receive the ends o vthe cross-plates,- and means for carrying the standards of each pair verticaly standards extending; l

geared to be driven from the 'driving shafts, i

and nuts on said transverse shafts arranged to engageand move 'the standards'.` i

17. The combination with the sides of a compress boX, of end pieces each consisting of 'a plurality of slidingsections, and means for moving the si'destoward each other-and against the said sections to slide 'them to- 18. The combination in a com ress of other to reduce the dimensions of the bale in a box having independently mova le side all directions. 10 and end pieces adapted to inelose upper and In testimony whereof I aix my signature lower platens, and means whereby the end in presence of two witnesses.

5 `pieces may be brought against the bale to CHARLES J. LUCE.

compress it to a uniform density, and means vWitnesses: whereby the side pieces, end pieces and RICHARD B. CAVANAGH, platens may then be caused to approach each T. E. HARDENBERGH, Jr. 

